Legato
Legato is played without tonguing.
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Non Legato
Each individual note is tongued and separated.
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Staccato
Short and separated notes (all tongued). Staccato need not mean aggressively
short!
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Staccatissimo
Very short tongued notes. Sometimes notated as staccato
notes with the word staccatissimo (or staccatiss.) written
above.
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Combinations
Notes with both dots and slurs, or lines and slurs, vary in interpretation,
but are somewhere between legato and non legato.
Tongued slurring:
Interpretation depending on context:
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
"Tenuto"
Tenuto (so-called) is really a variation on non legato and is sometimes
seen with both lines and dots implying shorter note durations.
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Double & Triple Tonguing
Partial tonguing in groups of two or three (e.g. on syllables ta-ka,
or ta-ka-ka) to give a very rapid articulation.
Double tonguing:
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Triple tonguing:
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register
Fluttertonguing
A rolled 'r' tonguing. Not all players can do fluttertonguing. Those
that cannot have to 'fake' with a throat flutter that sounds less effective.
About fluttertonguing notation:
Dynamics when fluttertonguing:
Flute
Low
register
Middle register
High register
Piccolo
Low register
Middle register
High register